25-second pick · +85
Aardwolf Deep Cut
8 letters · 1 word · ~2s to type · 860 accepted answers on the sheet
Don't name the zoo animal a six-year-old would shout first. We would type Aardwolf: Deep Cut, +85, 8 letters, about 2 seconds on a keyboard. Do not burn the 25 seconds on Gopher, Groundhog, Mole, or Prairie dog — those are Plankton. The trench answer is Pink fairy armadillo (+100), but only take it if you can spell it cold.
Trench spelling, only if you already know it: Pink fairy armadillo +100
Skip Gopher · Groundhog · Mole · Prairie dog